What's the Score Blogfest, and Some Thanks

Happy June 1st. Today's my nephew's birthday, so I want to send a shout out to him.

Happy Birthday, Gabe!

Also, yesterday was my one-year blogiversary. It's hard to believe I've been blogging for a year, and I can see a huge difference in the way I blog then and now. Also in the way I write. I'm lucky to have stumbled into this bloggy world, to have made the friends I've made, and to have learned everything I've learned so far. You're all a part of that, and so I say

THANK YOU!

I could go in to thanking particular people, but that would take the entire next year, and the music just started playing, and they will soon usher me offstage. So, please know that you're all awesome and amazing, and I appreciate each of you for your individual creativity and spirit.

So, uh, Blogfest anyone?

In celebration of my blogiversary, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with a blogfest. There are even prizes, and there's still time to play. Haven't signed up yet? Is it past midnight in your timezone? No worries. Send me an email at rlconnolly [at] gmail.com and I'll add your name to the Linky List.

What can you win? Check out the announcement. And stop by on Monday, June 6th, when I'll reveal the winners!

What's My Score?

I love my WIP. I've spent years with it, so I ought to. I think about it when I'm walking to and from classes and work, and the soundtrack makes it easier for me to concentrate (and aren't you glad I'm thinking about my WIP instead of oncoming traffic?).

Here are a few of the best songs from my soundtrack. While I have a huge one for the entire three-book series, I tried to stick to songs that apply to book 1, since that's what I'm slaving over right now.


"Had to Go" by the Heartless Bastards
A few lines in this song sound as if they had been written with my WIP in mind.

"Winter Blue" by Heather Nova
I had my iPod on shuffle and this came on. I just about stumbled with how well it seemed to fit, and then I added it to my playlist.

"Everything She Does Is Magic" by the Police
Cliche? Maybe. I don't care. :)

"Starlight" by Muse
This song sounds like my male MC talking to me.

"Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga
Minus the line about eyeliner, this works pretty well, too. (I didn't pick the official video to link here, though, because I just don't get it.)

"Fool's Gold" by Lhasa de Sela
It's not so much the words to this song (although they kind of work) but the mood. Not to mention that her voice is one of the most amazing I've heard in my lifetime.

"Weird Fishes" and "15 Steps" by Radiohead
Wish I could explain these. They just move me and make me think of my WIP.

"Conspiracy" by Paramore
Okay, maybe this one doesn't ONLY apply to the first of the three. It applies to the whole thing.

What about you? What's your score?

Don't forget to visit the other participants today!

Usual Suspects (#atozchallenge)

PS (in this case, pre-script)--My Mondays and Wednesdays have me running around without good internet access all day until 9pm EST (US). I'll get back to you, but it might be late tonight. 

Today's post is a little different from my other 25 for the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge, because I'm trying to do double duty. I know, I know. Shame on me. Maybe I'm cheating a little, but I don't think so. Maybe it's more like positive time management :)

Anyway, today is U for the A-to-Z Challenge.

It's also the Now Starring... Blogfest.

So, today, I give you my Usual Suspects.

Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Here's my ideal cast of Fighting Fate, my work in progress. These are only the major players for Book 1. Anyone else I'll have to save for another time.

Anabelle Lindsky, played by Emma Roberts. 
Anabelle, 19, is a lively girl, impulsive and playful. Emma Roberts physically looks the most like how I picture Anabelle in my mind. I'm not positive I've ever seen Roberts on screen, so I can't say much about her acting. She just needs a pair of blue contacts.

Prince Marcus, played by Chace Crawford.

Marcus, 21, has little interest in what the royal family wants from him. He's rebellious, but in his own subtle way. Not only does Crawford look like my ideal Marcus, but his attitude and his acting making me think he'd do well.

Admittedly, it was a toss up between Crawford and Zac Efron, but Crawford won out.

Lily Yasukawa, played by Aya Ueto.

Lily is spunky and nuts, and drives Anabelle to do things she wouldn't do of her own accord. She puts up with not nonsense, and it's in your best interest not to lie to her. She has her ways of making you regret it.

Roger McKilthy, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

Roger is Marcus's bodyguard. Serious and stoic, and, well, hot. Yup. Roger's muscle and hotness, and I can't think of anyone better than Gyllenhaal to do that. Oh, yeah, he's a good actor, too :)

Betsy Lindsky, played by Charisma Carpenter.

Anabelle's mother is beautiful and spunky. Who better than Carpenter to play that role?

Then again, it's hard for me to think of Carpenter as her own age after habitually watching Buffy. To me, even at 41, she's a HS student! But in my WIP, she'd be playing her actual age.

Queen Renee, played by Helena Bonham Carter.

I think Helena Bonham Carter is so incredibly beautiful, even when she's playing an evil Death Eater. The woman has so much poise and charisma, she would be a perfect Queen. 

Eric and Camilla, Archduke and Archduchess, played by Alan Tudyk and Gina Torres.

They have such great chemistry in Firefly and Serenity, and they both fit the bill physically for my mental image, so I'd love it if they could play my Duke and Duchess, too (just in less cowboy-meets-outer-space-type clothing).

Princess Natalie, played by Summer Glau.

Okay, I never watched the Terminator series. My devotion to Glau comes from all things Joss Whedon. Natalie's character is a little crazy, a lot blunt, and just enough off the mainstream that Glau seemed the perfect fit. Plus, Glau's dance experience could come in handy in Book 2. *wink* 

Lady Zoe, played by Amanda Bynes.

Zoe is blonde, beautiful, and voluptuous. Of all the characters I've listed here, she's about the only one who hasn't changed.












Who would you cast for your novel?

Gremlins (#atozchallenge)

Welcome to today's post on the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. My challenge, as I have chosen to accept it, is thus: I have asked on my Facebook and Twitter accounts for people to contribute random words beginning with today's letter. From Random.org, I have selected one of these words, and will below challenge myself to connect said word to writing.

For the letter G, I received 50 suggestions. Random.org selected number 11: gremlins.


Gremlins

Cute creatures by day. Feed them after midnight, and you have destructive monsters on your hands. No, I'm not talking about my future children. Today we're talking about that fabulous 80s phenomenon: gremlins.

Brain child of Chris Columbus, working with Steven Spielberg, this film stole my heart as a kid. It was the perfect combination of cute/lovable and scary. It made want my very own plush Gizmo doll (though I never got one). In terms of marketing, it held its own in a time of ET action figures and the dwindling of Star Wars sales.

Okay, so enough waxing on with capitalist nostalgia. What's my point?

What's one reason why Gremlins became so successful? It's in the details of the character. In a sweeping generalization, I'm going to assume that we all remember Gizmo and the Dr. Hyde monsters they turn into when you feed them too late or expose them to bright light. But we don't remember the humans. Or at least I don't. (Granted I was pretty young.) Why? The humans were a means of bringing out fuzzy friends and their evil scaly twins to life, but the movie (and subsequent sequels) wasn't about the humans.

Let's examine Gizmo for a moment. Furry and adorable, it's hard not to instantly love this tiny creature. So, we've got empathy. Add in the danger of the already scaly midnight snackers, plus the fear that Gizmo might accidentally munch on something himself, get wet (again), or see too much light, and you've got continual rising tension and a character that everyone can identify with.

Thus, insta-blockbuster.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it helps to have the financial backing of Spielberg and Warner Bros, too....

Anyway, I'm not saying we should all run out and write about tiny, fluffy mammals, but there are a few things to learned regarding characters here.

First, details. Give your character quirks and fears, like Superman with his Kryptonite. Somehow let us know that (random character) Bill used to go by Will, but changed his name after finally moving out of his grandmother's abusive house, since she always called him Willy.

But most importantly, make the reader LIKE the character first. If the reader doesn't care, it's an instant FAIL.

Next, generate conflict. (Bill's grandmother gets sick and can no longer take care of herself, and Bill can't afford to put her in a nursing home). Put them in danger (spill some water and feed the little buggers after midnight).

Finally, give them the opportunity to fail. Nothing spells tension like the thought of your character losing everything. (Bill takes too many days off work to care for Granny, and ends up losing his job. His wife moves in with her mother because she can't stand Granny, either. The house gets repossessed. Does he take care of himself first or Granny?)

How do you make your characters likable? And how do you torture them afterward? :)


PS--Today I'm taking suggestions for K. Have some? Leave them below. 

A Preface to the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge and an Award

Tomorrow begins the A-to-Z Blogging Challenge. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm also a tad frightened by it. I means posting six times per week, and hopefully being able to respond to comments, while in the throes of exams and final projects, deep house cleaning and preparing for visitors for May's impending graduation (not mine, but my awesome husband's).

But, heck, here's hoping.

I've been planning my end of the event, wanting to have as many posts relate to writing as possible. But, because I want to make this interesting, I'm mixing it up a tad. Here's my plan.

I'm going to be asking for random words beginning with certain letters on my Twitter and Facebook accounts. I will compose a list of all the suggestions, and then choose based on a random number generator. Whichever word comes up, I will (somehow) relate to writing.

Stop by tomorrow when the fun shall commence!

PS--Today I'm taking suggestions for the letter C. Have any?

*insert poor segue here*

About a week ago, I received a beautiful comment from Deirdra at A Storybook World, notifying me of an award.

Thank you so much, Deirdra!

String Bridge

Hi all. I know I said I wouldn't be posting on Monday but, well, I changed my mind.

But, this is short, because my words can't match the beauty of what I've linked below.

Jessica Bell, otherwise known as the Alliterative Allomorph, has released her new book trailer to promoter String Bridge, available November 1st. Below is the trailer, which I might, is powerful and beautiful, sung and performed by Jessica. Watch for yourself, and enjoy.

Also, visit Jessica's blog for a chance to win books, and help promote String Bridge.

Springy

First, don't forget to vote for your favorite story from the HONE YOUR SKILLS Blogfest. There's a poll on my sidebar. Voting ends on Thursday (tomorrow) at 11:59 PM eastern US time (-5 GMT).

____________________________

Today the weather is forecast as bright and sunny and 74 degrees F. So I ask you:

What are you doing inside reading blogs??
(not that I want you to leave.... that's not what I'm saying!)
 
Have a break at work? Go outside and take a walk.

At home with the kids? I bet they'd love to go play in the park.

My plan for today, when I don't have class or work, is to sit outside with my notebook and do some plotting/rewriting while soaking up the vitamin D.

How are you celebrating spring?

PS--To our friends in the southern hemisphere: In a spattering of locations, it looks like your weather is still quite nice, so I hope you're enjoying it, too :)

Vote for Your Favorite Story from the HONE YOUR SKILLS Blogfest

First, I want to thank EVERYONE for participating in the Hone Your Skills Blogfest on Wednesday. This was the first blogfest either Charity or I have hosted, and I think it was a great success. All the stories were fantastic, and showed a diversity in styles and genres, as well as a love of writing. So THANK YOU to the writers, and THANK YOU to everyone else who visited the different stories to leave your comments.

As a part of the blogfest, Charity has kindly donated a $20 gift card to Amazon for the top story among our participants. Charity and I have chosen our top 5, and now YOU!! get to vote on your favorite. Just click on the name of your favorite on my side bar.

And now, before announcing the top favorites, thus forcing you to scroll down through ample paragraphs of my own waxing philosophical, I will discuss the benefits and disadvantages of...

(Charity): Psst.

(Rosie): What?

(Charity): Maybe you shouldn't make the people wait.

(Rosie): It's really important.

(Charity): Watch your adverbs.

(Rosie): *sigh* Right. Okay...


Rosie and Charity's Top Five Picks from the HONE YOUR SKILLS Blogfest, in no particular order:

"Reasons" by Cleveland Dietz II

"Never Hit a Woman" by Margo Kelly

"Untitled" by Teralyn Rose Pilgrim

"Esperanza" from Pawny's Pen

"Driving Me Crazy" by Jane Isfeld-Still


Make sure to vote for your favorite on my side bar. Voting will run through NOW! until 11:59PM on Thursday, US east-coast time. I will post the official winner on Friday (although my post may go up a little later than my normal 7AM, as I expect to be asleep by midnight).

Thanks again to everyone, and be sure to vote!

Luck o' the Irish SPD Blogfest

So, yeah, I decided to join the Luck o' the Irish Blogfest. I certainly waited until the last minute to make that decision, but better late than never, no? :)

And before I begin, I want to thank Jules at Trying to Get Over the Rainbow, who inadvertently gave me the idea. This is for you!

I found it. I found the end of the rainbow. I'd been hunting for it for years, ever since my tiny Patrick was but a wee glimmer in my eye. And here it ended, dropping directly into a bush of clover, and the clover hid the pot of gold. While the gold mattered—I mean, come on, it's money—it wasn't my goal.

I set the trap, hid behind a tree, and waited.

It snaps and drops in place. The box now covers the screaming, banging leprechaun. FINALLY! I jump from behind the tree, and uncover the little bugger.

"Just take the gold, lady!" he said.

I throw off the box. "You're not Liam."

"No, miss."

"Where's Liam?" I ask. "This is his rainbow."

"That it is, that it is. He asked me to protect his gold for a few days."

Damn that little bugger Liam. He's been running from me for two years. There's a warrant out for his arrest for overdue child support. I really wanted the satisfaction of grabbing him and taking him to the police so they could throw his little green bum in jail.

"Fine," I say. "I'm taking the gold."

"Well, now wait a—"

I kick the leprechaun, and he flies like a little green American football. I grab the pot of gold, pour the contents into my purse, and trudge home. At least my tiny Patrick will get a proper dinner tonight.

Don't you hate it when you find the wrong leprechaun?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Be sure to check out the other entries at the link above.

An Award Post-Script

The love has been FLYING this week. Last night I got a note from Zan Marie at In the Shade of the Cherry Tree, saying she had also given me the Stylish Blogger award and the One Lovely Blog award. Thanks so much, Zan Marie!

Well, I had already passed these one, but I recently discovered another blog that I think deserves some recognition, so I want to do a little more passing.

SJ Hanson at My Journey in Running, Writing, and Life

Be sure to stop by and see SJ. She's new to blogging and Twitter, so hop over and help spread the cyber love.

Have a great Thursday, folks!

Bernard Pivot Blogfest!!

First, sign up for the Hone Your Skills Blogfest! Mr. Linky is over to the right. Click Here or Here for details. It's your chance to get feedback on a short story to help you get it ready for submission. The submission part is optional, but you never know, right?
________________

Welcome to my entry for the Bernard Pivot Blogfest! hosted by Nicole Ducleroir at One Significant Moment in Time.

1. What's your favorite word?

I go through phases—frequently—but I would have to say right now the word is OBNOXIOUS. :) I'm also really enjoying CHUTZPAH and SLEW right now. Come on. Say it with me. SLEW.... How fun is that? :)

2. What's your least favorite word?

SPRZĄTAĆ.** It's the verb in Polish meaning "to clean" and no matter what I do, no matter how long I study Polish, I can't wrap my tongue around it. A close second is any word in Welsh with "ll" in the middle. I'm sorry, folks, but I have to think too hard to make that sound.

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Music. I tend to have different music associated with different characters or different scenes, and completely different playlists for different WIPs (WsIP?). I recently returned to an old WIP for serious re-vision. Walking to school, I turned on the old playlist, and the world of the story came flooding back in seconds.

And squirrels. I kinda love squirrels :)

4. What turns you off?

Robotic monotony. There are some automatic tasks that don't bother me, but only for limited amounts of time. One of my many daily tasks involves doing something so monotonous that my mind turns to mush, and it's very hard to get the creative juices flowing again afterward.

5.  What is your favorite curse word?

SPRICK. It's from one of my WIPs (WsIP?). It's strong, in the same vein as sh*t or so.

6. What sound or noise do you love?

The pitter-patter of little squirrels running across my roof while I'm working my my attic-converted upstairs study.

7. What sound or nose to you hate?

Car alarms. Seriously, folks, they're not deterring anyone. They're not getting anyone to call the cops and save your poor little BMW. It's just ticking me off.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Would it be silly and cliché of me to say something like ACTOR? I've always had an obscene fascination with Hollywood. Oddly enough, though, I have no desire to write screenplays. Go figure...

9. What profession would you not like to do?

Anything where people's emotional or physical well-being is in my hands: doctor, psychologist, etc. It's too much pressure.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

"Come on in."



**If you want to hear it, go to http://www.ivona.com, click the Polish flag on the left (white and red), copy the word into the box and click Play. I think you'll understand, unless you speak Polish.


If you didn't enter the Blogfest, do you have any answers you'd like to share? I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on these. :)

Bernard Pivot Blogfest

I'm excited to join another blogfest, this one to hit the cyberwaves in two weeks.

The Bernard Pivot Blogfest is hosted by Nicole Ducleroir of One Significant Moment at a Time, who is celebrating 500+ followers. Participating in the contest also automatically signs you up for some awesome prizes (still TBA).

Bernard Pivot, a French journalist, created the following questionnaire for a cultural series he hosted from 1991-2001. Here are the questions:

1. What is your favorite word?
2. What is your least favorite word?
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
4. What turns you off?
5. What is your favorite curse word?
6. What sound or noise do you love?
7. What sound or noise do you hate?
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
9. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

So, on February 16, all who are participating will answer the questions, so we can all get to know each other a little better. Come and join the fun by clicking on the image to the right.

A to Z Blogging Challenge

So I've decided to join in Arlee Bird's A to Z Blogging Challenge this year. I heard a lot about it last summer when I dove into the blogging community, and so I'm excited to see that he (with the help of awesome bloggers Alex J. Cavanaugh, Jen Daiker, and Talli Roland) will be hosting it again this year.

The idea is to post every day in April except Sundays, which will then equal 26 posts, one for every letter of the alphabet. Each day's theme should somehow correspond to the letter.

So my plan is to post 26 writing-related pieces. Yesterday I began devising my topics. I don't have all of my letters assigned yet, and I'm open to suggestions.

So, is there anything you'd like to hear about? Not that I'm a definitive expert on any of these topics, but it might be fun to open some ideas up for discussion.

Also, click on the image to the right to join the fun. There's plenty of time to prepare yourself for an alphabet's worth of awesome blogging.

Top 10 Countdown - BlogFest

Okay, I don't normally post on Mondays, but I thought this sounded like too much fun to pass on. I'll skip my typical Tuesday post and be back again on Thursday.

So, without further ado, here's is my top ten list, although they're not really in any particular order (and if you ask me again next week, it'll probably be a little different).

1. "Pretty Bird" by Jenny Lewis

There's just something about this song, even though the lyrics are uncomplicated. It obviously means a lot to me, or else I wouldn't have named my blog from the lyrics. :)

2. "Walk This World" by Heather Nova

Yup, Heather Nova was a one hit wonder, and this was that one hit, but I still own two of her albums. This speaks to me as both the romantic and, as my friend called me the other day, a gypsy who can't stay in one place too long.

3. "Man on the Moon" by R.E.M.

Okay, well, my love for R.E.M. even goes through Michael Stipe's Orange Crush/eyeliner phase, although I think this came earlier. I'm not sure I can pinpoint why I picked this song over anything else, but there's something in it that speaks to me, be it the references to Andy Kaufman or the midwestern/central plains charm.

4. "Gravel" by Ani DiFranco (the song starts around 0:50)

This is a song that strongly represents my college years, and my issues with men. Enough said.

5. "Supernova" by Liz Phair

A college icon of mine. I love many of her songs, but this one was popular for a while (many years ago), and I thought it might grab some attention :)

6. "Circles" by Soul Coughing

College years. There's a great story of my friends and I trying to see Soul Coughing in Chicago one winter January, going down a one-way street in a neighborhood looking for parking before the concert, and a massive firetruck barreling toward us with its lights and sirens going. Obviously we survived, and hopefully the house on fire (or the cat in the tree) were equally taken care of.

7. "Sugarhigh" by Coyote Shivers (from the Empire Records soundtrack)
My favorite movie in high school, and the song that plays during the happy ending. I just don't love sugar as much as I did back then!

8. The Witch's "Rap" from Into the Woods

This one goes back to my musical theater days in high school. I loved this show, and I adored Bernadette Peters as the witch. I couldn't find a clip with Bernadette Peters, but this one with Vanessa Williams is pretty good, even if the video quality is poor.

9. "15 Steps" by Radiohead

Aw, man, I love Radiohead. This song is great (and was before it ended up on a Twilight soundtrack).

10. "Measuring Cups" by Andrew Bird

Ah, our insecurities. I like this clip in particular because it gives insight into Bird's ideas for the song. Anyway, with my own academic and personal insecurities, this song is a must here. Not to mention that Andrew Bird is perhaps one of the most amazing and talented musicians I've ever heard of.


Counting down our top tunes of all time!
Music moves us. It inspires us! Now, tell the world YOUR ten favorite songs of all time. The Song, the band – why does it move you? Sign up below:

Ballet Bragging

I can't keep this to myself. I went to see the Nutcracker twice this year. Before this year, I can't say I was a huge fan of the ballet. I wasn't raised going to the ballet or the opera. I only became interested in musical theater in high school. Before college, going to the theater meant the movies, and usually the $1 theater (back when they had those).

But we saw the Nutcracker twice. Why? My niece, who's 11, was Clara this year in Ballet Arizona's professional production. Each year, the ballet had children audition, and usually picks three Claras to split the performances up, but this year there were only 2, and one of them was my niece. And if that weren't enough to have my entire extended family bursting at the seams with pride, she was in one of the shows which the New York Times reviewer attended. And if THAT weren't enough, she gotten mentioned BY NAME in not one, but TWO articles—one on his blog, and one that was actually in print last week.

So I offer my congratulations to her and my bragging for your entertainment.

What surprises have you gotten this holiday season?

Review of Scrivener

For those of you who are writers, whether you are technologically savvy or not, I would like to recommend Scrivener, a program developed specifically with the novelist in mind. With all the hype surrounding different programs for NaNoWriMo, I decided to take a step away from my traditional Word and try something different, and Scrivener offered a NaNoWriMo trial version that lasted not 30 days, but until December 7. So I tried it. Now I will never go back.

Scrivener's design is user-friendly for the every-day operations. Each "page" is meant to be an individual scene. You can title it anything you want without it printing (though see below on my inability to make this work at first), which makes them easy to find. There's a list to the left of all of your scenes and chapters (in this list, folders are chapters, and when you Compile it, they are automatically numbered in chapters without your numbering them). You can see each "file" clearly, and drag them up and down to rearrange.

You can also rearrange your scenes easily on a "cork board".You simply drag the note card to where you'd rather it be. The entire "file" with all of your text automatically moves without the nastiness of cutting and pasting and hoping the clipboard's not too full already.

To the right, there are a number of helpful tools. The two I found most helpful were 1) the notes and 2) the links. You can leave yourself any amount of notes for the scene or chapter that will never be printed in your compile or counted in your word count. In Word, I would simply type these in for myself and highlight them or change the color of the text, but then I would get an inaccurate word count. This is ideal for those of you who are as forgetful as I am in terms of adding this action, or who want to give yourself ideals as you read through without heavily revising at any given moment. The links option is also great because it gives you direct access to your research from the same file.

Another great option in this program are the character and setting sketches. It's wonderful to have quick access to your characters without opening other files. You can even include a picture. None of the notes in these "files" are included in your word count (although you can have them included with a simple click of a check box), but are still right at your fingertips. You can even include pictures, which I LOVE.

For more detailed information on any of these features, Scrivener tutorial videos can be found here.

Bottom Line: If you write novels, this will spoil you to no end, and you won't be able to go back to Word ever again :)

Update

I have temporarily extracted myself from cyberspace, and will be AWOL for a few more days, but I wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and kicking.

1) Got the awesome hair treatment done, and I LOVE it! If you have hair like mine, I highly recommend the Global Keratin treatment (as well as Erin at Rocstar Hair in Chicago).

2) Drove back from Chicago in nasty, horrible snow. I was a little traumatized from the drive, but arrived home safe and in one piece. I have no desire to do any driving for a while, though.

3) My husband, my mother, and I are flying to Phoenix today to visit my in-laws for the holidays. I'm really looking forward to the break and time to eat cookies and work on writing.

4) Future blog posts will include a review of The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors by Michele Young-Stone (which I started in October and finally finished this week), and a review of Scrivener, which I got to use for NaNo. Preview: I loved both. Stay tuned.

5) Upcoming reading for me includes: No Place for Heroes by Laura Restrepo, Junction 2020 by Carol Riggs, The Hating Game by Talli Roland, and finishing On Writing by Stephen King. I'll post reviews of these, too, as I finish them.

What are you reading right now?

Happy Thursday, folks! :)

In Which I Have a Girlie Moment

It's Wednesday, December 8. Today I will turn in my final portfolio for my writing class and take my German exam, thus closing out this semester. By 8:30pm EST tonight, I will be FREE of academic obligations for almost a month.

So what am I doing to celebrate, you might ask? I'm going to Chicago to hang out with my old college roommates, reconnect with a high school friend I haven't seen since, well, high school, and get my hair done with the most amazing hairdresser. Hence, the girlie.

I am a woman cursed (or blessed—the grass is always greener, yada yada) with thick, curly, frizzy hair. I hate dealing with my hair because it can be such a tangled mess. When I do my hair—i.e., blow dry and straighten to defrizz—it can take at least 30 minutes. And for Thanksgiving, when I was fixing my hair, I fried the circuit in half the house by having the flat iron, hair dryer, and a space heater all on at the same time.

How excited am I to go to Chicago? Oh so very! In August I put up pictures from my college roomie's wedding. Said amazing hairdresser came from Chicago to Wisconsin to do the hair of everyone in the wedding party, and while she cut my hair on the loading dock of a building at Beloit College, she told me she was getting certified in a new type of hair treatment to straighten hair. This weekend, I will have this done. It's organic and relatively chemical-free. And it's supposed to be so amazing that I can walk straight out of the shower and let my hair air dry with little to no fuss.

I'll let you know how it goes, but hopefully the girl in the picture above will never have such horrid hair again!

Mooching from Summer

Okay, I just saw this on Summer's blog ...and this time concentrate! It was so awesome that I had to share.

Enjoy :)

What We Can Learn From 1990s Serial Dramas

Anyone out there ever watch SeaQuest DSV?  It was one of those shows that piggy-backed on the popularity of StarTrek: Next Generation (along with other shows like StarTrek: Deep Space Nine and StarTrek: Voyager).  Most TV shows at this time were simpler, more straight-forward with almost no plot complications and only one story line.  This one was no different, with a slightly futuristic, military bent.

When this show originally aired, I watched it every week.  It had nothing to do with the plot or the writing.  It was all about Jonathan Brandis.  Yup, I had a minor fascination (read: major obsession) with JB.  For some reason I started thinking about him about a month ago, looked him up, found out some rather upsetting news about him (I'm glad I was never a child actor), and then started thinking about the show.

So, in tribute to JB and my interest *cough*obsession*cough*, I decided to watch it again.  Yea, NetFlix and at-home streaming :)

Well, I'm sick, stuck on my couch, literally coughing and hacking and waiting for it to go away, so I decided to watch some good ol' DSV.  Season 1, Episode 1, here we go.

And I can't tell you how pained I was to find out it was a two-hour premier.  Now, this means I get a little more JB time, but it also means 1:30hr of really bad, 90s TV writing.  The entire first episode is BACKSTORY!  And poorly written backstory at that.  Granted, a bit of the blame can be laid on the actors, though I'm pretty sure that's just the way TV actors performed back then: like they have a live audience; like they don't have a camera in their faces; like they don't have to speak like real people.  *sigh*

But an hour and a half of backstory?  Okay, sure, there's a little bit of action, but if this episode were sent to an agent, it would receive a form rejection.

The lesson?  Don't overload the sick girl with backstory.  She's bored out of her skull!

Do you have any favorite shows from the last few decades?  And do you ever wonder why you loved them then when you watch them now?  Can you watch them without analyzing the writing?

The Results are IN!

Happy Monday to my awesome followers!  Thanks to everyone for making this a super successful contest.  I've been excited all weekend to share the results with you.

So, using the number of entries each person received in conjunction with Random.org, the following people are hereby designated the WINNERS of my contest.

Our first prize is for randomly-generated #30 is

for

MICHELLE

Second prize, for number 26, is:

LYNDA

Third was 62, winner of a chapter critique:

RaSHELLE

Fourth, 9, winner of a query critique:

CAROL

And, finally, number 45, who will enjoy some awesome chocolate:

JC MARTIN

Thank you EVERYONE for playing.  If I've listed you here, please email me at rlconnolly01[at]gmail[dot]com with your address (if I'm mailing you something) so I can get your prizes out to you.